Syma X5SW Review

Syma X5SW Review

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Syma is one of the rising names in the quadcopter market, and with the Syma X5WS, Cheerwing has managed to create this user-friendly quadcopter that’s really easy to control and includes many awesome features that promises you hours of fun!

It is a very basic toy-grade quadcopter with some premium and distinctive features. Priced just under $60, it is one of the cheapest product in the market which gives you more value for money, making it a great starter drone for beginners.

This Syma X5SW review is based on my personal experience test flying it, and will hopefully give you a better understanding of its features, pros and cons. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.

In the box:

1 x X5SW Quadcopter

1 x Remote controller

2 x Li-Poly Battery

1 x USB Charger

4 x Propellers

2 x Spare propellers

1 x Mobile Phone Holder

1 x Screw Driver

1 x User Manual

4 x Landing Gear (Bracket)

Build Quality

The build quality of Syma X5SW is quite sturdy and light weight, made entirely of plastic. It’s able to resist minor crashes or fall, but once the impact goes beyond the normal, it is highly prone to bending or even breaking. Fortunately, this quadcopter has propeller guards to prevent damage and even injury. If you have caused some serious damage to your drone, there are many replacement pieces that can be bought separately.

Camera

Camera quality of X5SW is surprisingly great. Spite of being merely a 2MP, it captures pictures and videos of top notch quality. It comes preloaded with the FPV feature which is one of the selling points of the X5SW. The camera on the quadcopter is also removable, giving you the option of flying without the camera. By doing this, you can give yourself an extra 5 minutes of flight time.

First Person View (FPV)

The Syma X5SW is the only quadcopter in the beginner range which is able to broadcast FPV video through Wi-Fi. The process is quite simple. Just install the Syma FPV app on any iOS or Android device. The app will create a Wi-Fi hotspot which will link it to the quadcopter and through this connection, the video recorded will be transferred to your smartphone.

Unfortunately, the process is not quite efficient. It will take at least two seconds from the moment of recording to the transfer into your smartphone. Sure, the video or live feed is not full HD, but the quality is still pretty decent, and overall, I think this is a great feature to have on such a toy-grade quad.

All videos and pictures can be saved onto your phone when it’s connected.

Flight Time and Battery

The feature discussed above does come at a cost, and unfortunately, it’s the battery life. Yes, the FPV feature is proved to be a culprit of its battery. Its effect can be seen from the reduced flight time.

Powered by a 500mAh Li-Po battery, the Syma X5SW offers a maximum of 7 minutes of flight, which is short compared to others in the same range which can offer 10 to 12 minutes. Thankfully, the option to remove the camera is available, by which you can fly your X5SW copter for a further 3 to 5 minutes.

Ease of Use

Syma X5SW is truly dedicated to the beginners. It will take only couple of minutes for first timers to take full control over their drone.

The layout of the transmitter is carefully designed to make it completely user-friendly for the beginner pilots to control. Thanks to Headless Mode, it is made further easy to fly as you can control the quadcopter regardless of its orientation. Syma X5SW is able to fly in the direction of the controller stick, no matter where its head and tail are.

But on the downside, it is very light. It is not able to bear the blow of winds due to which it starts swinging. Always be weary of outdoor conditions. On a clear day, I did not have any problems with stability.

Specifications:

Item Name: FPV Real Time Transmission 4CH RC Quadcopter

Item NO.: X5SW

Color: Black

Frequency: 2.4G

Channel: 4CH 6 Axis Gyro

Camera Pixel: 2MP.

Video Time /Photos: About 30min video or 800 pictures

Main Rotor Diameter: 14 CM

Battery for Controller: 4x AA” batteries (not included)

Battery for Quadcopter: 3.7V 500mAh Li-poly

Charging Time: About 120 mins (USB charging)

Flying time: About 6-7 minutes

Controlling Distance: Up to 50 metres

Where To Buy

Below are links to the Syma X5SW with some additional accessories you might be interested in.

Popular Questions and Answers:

Q: Do I have to register the Syma X5SW?A: According to the FAA, all drones or quadcopters weighing over .55lbs must be registered. The X5SW weighs just .26lbs, so, therefore, you do not need to register it.

Q: Can you upload your recorded videos to your PC?A: Yes. All recorded videos are stored on a micro SD card which can be transferred to your PC.

Q: What’s the app called?A: The app is SYMA FPV, and can be found in the App Store or Google Play Store.

Q: Is there a Return To Home feature that will land when the battery is low?A: No, there’s isn’t. You’ll have to keep an eye on the battery life.

Q: Can I mount my phone onto the controller?A: Yes, there’s a clip for you to attach your phone. However, it’s not very strong so you may want to be cautious.

Conclusion

So as I write this Syma X5SW review, I believe this quadcopter is one of the best for first-time flyers. Not only in terms of specs and features but the price as well. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the transmitter, and understand how the features and camera works, be prepared for hours of fun.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below, and don’t forget to share!

– David.

One thought on “Syma X5SW Review”

Often the X5SWs get shipped with a 0.3 megapixel (640×480) camera instead of the 2 megapixel one mentioned in the specs. If it’s an issue for you the best you can do is to double check the specs on the seller’s webpage and apply for a refund if it does not match with what you got.